Winter storm Nemo wreaks havoc for East Coast businesses

New England was battered last weekend by winter storm Nemo, with many areas receiving close to two feet of snow and thousands left without power through Monday morning. President Barack Obama declared States of Emergency for Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.

While snow is often associated with winter for many areas, it's important for business owners to be aware of how Mother Nature can affect their daily operations. Repairs could take months, and companies across all industries need to be prepared for spending significant amounts of time with their doors closed. Without commercial property insurance that accounts for natural disasters, costs could be significantly higher.

For business owners who wonder why they should care about the weather, they need to look no further than Nemo. For example, the Long Island Expressway in New York was shut down, so road crews could reach stranded vehicles and remove snow. However, according to The New York Times, this forced many semi trucks to use local roadways, where they became stuck and caused massive traffic jams.

Companies that are dependent on travel would benefit from commercial auto insurance. Should any damages occur to a vehicle while in transit, standard automobile policies will not cover a car or truck while it is being used for business operations.

“The state will continue to do everything possible to augment existing recovery work, and will ensure that residents of Suffolk County can go back to life as normal as quickly as possible,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told The Times.

Commercial insurance specialists can help business owners find a comprehensive policy that will give them the best chance of quickly returning to normal following serious weather-related events. Especially when it comes to travel, a company needs to guarantee that it is prepared for numerous situations.